1. Field of the Invention
The illustrative embodiments relate generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and system for processing data. Still more particularly, the illustrative embodiments are related to a computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for dynamically altering database views, based on an administrator-configured rule set.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a database management system a database view is a virtual or logical table composed of the result set of a query. A query is a precise request for information, typically keywords combined with Boolean operators and other modifiers, in the field of information retrieval. Unlike ordinary tables (base tables) in a relational database, a database view is not part of the physical schema. They can join and simplify multiple tables into a single virtual view. Views can act as aggregated tables, where aggregated data is calculated and presented as part of the data. Views can hide the complexity of data; for example, a database view could appear as Sales2000 or Sales2001, transparently partitioning the actual underlying table, AllSales. Typically, views do not incur any extra storage overhead.
Various database management systems have extended the views from read-only subsets of data. The Oracle Corporation, located in Redwood Shores, Calif., introduced, in the Oracle™ database, the concept of materialized views. Materialized views are pre-executed, non-virtual views commonly used in data warehousing. They are a static snapshot of the data and may include data from remote sources. The accuracy of a materialized view depends on the frequency or trigger mechanisms behind the materialized view's updates.
DB2™ provides materialized query tables (MQTs) for the same purpose. DB2™ is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation of New York. The equivalent of materialized query tables in Microsoft SQL Server™ is an indexed view. Microsoft SQL Server™ is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation of Washington.